CITY GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE
GRAND OPENING OF B.J. SMITH COMMUNITY CENTER
- AS PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION -
Los Santos, SA ~ Tuesday, April 13th, 2021
On April 11th at 18:00, the City converged to celebrate the official opening of the highly anticipated B.J. Smith Community Center, located on Carson Avenue, in the Chamberlain Hills district.
The opening saw the culmination of months of hard-work, dedication and planning come to fruition as the public were invited to gather and celebrate the crowning achievement of the department of Health and Human Services, currently run by Director Milana Arsaeva. The community center will act as a centralized hub of community services and public information, providing a much-needed lifeline for local residents.
The centre's successful opening is an ode to the late Desmond Brown, previous Outreach manager for the project. We recognize Desmond's passion and subsequent achievements during the months of work to have this project come to light as it did and for that, we cannot be any more grateful. The community and the City alike mourn the loss of such an inspirational figure and his spirit will remain as a staple of the centre moving forwards. A small memorial was established at the front of the center so those entering could pay their respects.
City Operations Officer Marcus Cambridge states:
The establishment recently underwent extensive remodelling and as such, now provides a contemporary, innovative hub for community resources and social support. Encouraging community participation, further proposed services include, but are not limited to the following:We are missing a fundamental pillar of this community. Desmond put his heart and soul into this project, everything we have accomplished here is because of him and the path he has outlined for this project.
While we mourn the loss of a figurehead of the community, we must also celebrate the birth of this fantastic resource. The team have worked so incredibly hard to bring us to this point and I cannot praise them enough, but their efforts speak for themselves. I am confident that those using the center will benefit immensely and I have full confidence the team will continue to expand this project to cover even more than it already does.
- Employment support, encouragement, and gateway events.
- Private tutoring to assist young students with education.
- Physical and mental health support, assistance in medical and dentistry care.
- Promotion of a "safe space", providing multiple levels of welfare and social support.
- Guaranteed meals 24/7, completely complimentary.
Director Arsaeva said:
Alongside the director, Outreach manager Michael Sawyer has worked tirelessly to push the centre forwards, especially in light of Mr. Brown's passing. Taking on the responsibility and carrying the torch, Mr. Sawyer said:The BJ Smith Community Center will be a beacon of opportunity for the South Central community and city of Los Santos alike. It provides a safe space and will strive to be a ray of hope for our underserved communities. The Department of Health and Human Services, alongside Los Santos City Government, will be able to offer our citizens invaluable resources through the BJ Smith Community Center to set them up for success in the long run. I’m grateful for the hard work everyone has put in thus far, and I’m looking forward to the great things we’ll continue to do.
My sincere hope is to see the center grow into a beacon of hope. Anyone in need of help will not be turned away. It was overwhelming to receive all the positive reception from the community and the city as a whole, and I hope that this is something that we can build on. We will be starting a plethora of programs soon and they should ensure that everyone will have something that will suit them, and if not, we will make sure to fill those gaps. Love and kindness are never wasted.
LOS SANTOS CITY GOVERNMENT
OFFICE OF THE CITY OPERATIONS OFFICER
CARCER WAY 1, ROCKFORD HILLS, LOS SANTOS, SA
.OFFICE OF THE CITY OPERATIONS OFFICER
CARCER WAY 1, ROCKFORD HILLS, LOS SANTOS, SA